Baseball Swept by York to Open KCAC Play

YORK, Neb. (macbulldogs.com) --- The McPherson College baseball team opened its 2017 Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference (KCAC) slate with a pair of losses to York College Saturday at Levitt Stadium. The Panthers took game one, 23-4, then used a sixth-inning rally to take game two, 11-8.

Game 1 --- York 23, McPherson 4
The Panthers pounded out 20 hits and launched four home runs off five Bulldog pitchers en route to the game one victory.

York scored a pair of runs in the bottom of the first, but McPherson battled back to tie the game in the top of the second on a Reily Martin (Auburn, Kan., Hayden HS) solo home run and an RBI single by Dylan Klava (Douglas, Wyo., Colby CC).

The Panthers extended the lead to 5-2 with two runs in the second and another in the third. The Bulldogs closed the gap to 5-4 with two more runs in the fourth. Jackson Goodmiller (St. George, Kan., Rock Creek HS) drove in Trevor Haycock (New Iberia, La., New Iberia Sr. HS) with an RBI double to right, then came around to score on another RBI single by Klava.

The visitors would get no closer as York tallied eight runs in the fourth and nine in the fifth to push the lead to 22-4. McPherson would be retired in order in the fifth and sixth before stranding a pair of runners in the top of the seventh inning. Cole Anderson set the final margin with a pinch-hit home run in the sixth.

Klava finished 3-for-3 with two RBIs to lead the Bulldogs, while Goodmiller added two hits - including a double - and an RBI. Reily's home run and a seventh-inning single by Tristan Hawkinson (Hutchinson, Kan., Buhler HS) accounted for McPherson's other hits.

Bulldog starter Cory Royer (Las Vegas, Nev., Dodge City CC) took the loss after being charged with six runs - all earned - on seven hits and two walks in three innings.

Josh Roman had four hits and scored three times, while Billy Damon had two hits and four RBIs. Lead-off hitter Timmion Hughes finished 3-for-3 with four RBIs and three runs scored. Kevin Olmstead, Connor Towle and Lamar Smith all had three RBIs.

Adam Kimmel scored the win after scattering four runs on six hits and three walks while striking out five in six innings. Ronnie Reed pitched a scoreless seventh, allowing one hit and issuing one walk while striking out three.

Game 2 --- York 11, McPherson 8
The Bulldogs grabbed the early lead in game two as Klava sent the second pitch of the game over the fence for a 1-0 lead.

The Panthers scored two runs in each of their first two at-bats to take a 4-1 lead after two complete innings. After a scoreless third inning, McPherson cut the York advantage to 4-2 when Martin came across after a Goodmiller walk.

York responded with two runs in the fourth on a two-run single by Smith, only to see the visitors bounce back with four runs in the top of the fifth to tie the game. Klava and Haycock scored on an RBI double by Lane Fleming (Council Grove, Kan., Council Grove HS). Jakob Shields (DeSoto, Kan., DeSoto HS) and Dylan Fontenot (Lafayette, La., Carencro HS) scored later in the frame on a two-run single to center from Bryce Strecker (Hutchinson, Kan., Trinity Catholic HS).

The Bulldogs added two more runs in the sixth as Klava scored on a Fleming single to left and Fontenot plated Haycock with a single to center.

After the Panthers drew a leadoff walk in the sixth, McPherson brought Klava in to pitch from center field in hopes of locking down the victory. The move did not pan out, however, as York posted five runs in the frame to take a 3-run lead. The big hit of the inning was a 2-run home run to left by Towle.

McPherson was unable to mount a charge in the seventh, managing only a one-out double by Goodmiller off reliever Bryan Faucher.

Both team managed 12 hits in the contest, while McPherson committed the lone error. Klava, Fleming, Martin and Goodmiller each had two hits to lead the Bulldogs, while Fleming drove in three. Strecker added a pair of RBIs and Klava scored three times while also drawing two walks.

Hughes and Smith both had three hits for York, with Smith and Towle each finishing with three RBIs. Billy Johnson and Isaiah Bond also drove in two apiece.

Blake Ware (Overland Park, Kan., Allen County CC) threw five innings for McPherson, allowing seven runs on nine hits and two walks while striking out six in five innings, but did not factor into the decision. Klava took the loss, allowing four runs on three hits and a walk in one inning.

Brandon Facha got the final out of the sixth and picked up the win, while Faucher earned the save.

The Bulldogs (7-14, 0-2 KCAC) and Panthers (13-9, 2-0 KCAC) finish out the three-game series with a single 9-inning game at 1 p.m. Sunday at Levitt Stadium.